1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the invention described herein pertain to the field of employee scheduling. More particularly, but not by way of limitation, one or more embodiments of the invention enable systems and methods of employee shift scheduling using a graphical web based interface or wireless device interface.
2. Description of the Related Art
There are many types of schedules that are used in a wide area of endeavor. Schedules generally plot a task, resource or human against time in order to schedule a solution to a problem. Gantt charts, PERT charts, resource plots and other types of schedules vary in the element that is plotted against time. Gantt charts plot a list of tasks that may or may not depend on one another against time. PERT charts are intended to calculate the minimum time required to complete a complex project having distinct tasks. Another type of chart that is used is an employee shift schedule.
There are a number of requirements and/or preferences associated with employee shift scheduling. Traditionally, employee scheduling has been done by a manager writing employee names and times to work on a paper that is posted in a work area. The schedule allows employees to know when they are required to work. In addition, managers have used spreadsheets to post schedules by printing out a schedule and posting it in a work area. The amount of time that this process takes is large when events occur that require changes to the schedule. When a manager receives a request for time off for an employee of a given shift, the manager generally makes multiple phone calls to other employees in an attempt to fill the empty shift. With a paper based solution, all employee unavailability times are haphazardly written in a list and when the manager creates the schedule conflicts that could be avoided are generally missed and result in extra work for the manager. The resulting schedule therefore immediately requires editing.
Current computer based solutions display shifts on a schedule but leave the schedule screen when performing tasks. Leaving the schedule screen makes it difficult to observe schedule conflicts when requesting shifts for example. In existing applications, there is no way for a manager to determine a conflict before the manager assigns a shift that conflicts with a user-unavailability. To find the conflict a manager must traverse multiple screens which is inefficient and frustrating to the manager. Current web based solutions do not automatically calculate wages, hours and employees in real-time when a shift change is made on a schedule and therefore do not allow a manager to quickly minimize wages for a shift. In addition, there are no known solutions that provide a single screen that is updated with conflicts that a manager can readily de-conflict or avoid conflicts by observing a potential conflict and unavailability while on one screen. In addition, when a schedule has been updated, users with limited functionality cell phones for example may be sent a text message saying that a schedule is ready without actually sending a compressed or shorthand version of the schedule.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,049,776 to Donnelly, et al., describes a system that identifies candidate workers to be assigned to a project based on their predetermined skills and predetermined time availability. The system is directed towards scheduling workers based on their individual skills to unique projects. Workers are inherently unequal and therefore there is no contemplation of shift scheduling where one worker may readily substitute for another. FIGS. 28 and 29 show that schedule conflicts are shown with windows unrelated to the schedule window. In addition, there is no contemplation of showing or utilizing one schedule to perform and display shift related tasks.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,408,663 to Miller describes a method for optimizing project scheduling. The existing schedule is optimized by iterating through the schedule and modifying each task according to policies that minimize task duration. The methods also include selection of an optimum mix of workers to be hired to complete a scheduled project. Workers are inherently unequal and therefore there is no contemplation of shift scheduling where one worker may readily substitute for another. In addition, there is no single schedule screen where conflicts between shifts and reserved times for an employee may be dealt with for example.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,957,188 to Dellevi et al., describes a system for trading shifts between employees. The method includes checking a database to ensure that the individuals trading shifts have the same training. In addition, there is no contemplation of showing or utilizing one schedule to perform and display shift related tasks.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,192,346 to Green describes a system and method for bidding on vacation and holiday shifts. The methods include giving priority to employees based on seniority with respect to vacation and holiday shifts worked or not. In addition, there is no contemplation of showing or utilizing one schedule to perform and display shift related tasks, e.g., FIG. 7 shows days but not the shifts on each day and does not allow for shift related tasks to be performed as such on the calendar of FIG. 7.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,334,133 to Thompson et al., describes a system for substituting workers for other workers that are unavailable due to a temporary absence. When a worker absence is to occur, the system searches a database to obtain a list of potential replacements for worker that will be absent. The system then contacts potential replacement workers for example substitute teachers. There is no method for showing conflicts and providing shift related tasks to be performed on the schedule.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,792,087 to Abdoh describes a system for scheduling health care workers that uses a telephone interface and an email interface to communicate a plurality of schedules to workers. There is no single schedule interface showing shifts on each day and providing shift relating tasks to be performed on the schedule.
United States Patent Application Publication No. 20040215475 describes a system for shift scheduling and cost determination. The system is mainly concerned with minimizing costs through appropriate allocation of personnel per shift. The system does not contemplate use of a single schedule showing all workers times per each day. See FIG. 3.
For at least the limitations described above there is a need for a system and method for scheduling employee shifts that allows for conflicts to be readily determined and shift related tasks to be performed on the schedule.